Defense Ministry to recruit ‘weekend warriors’ next year

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The Ministry of National Defense (MND) will try to recruit 400 reservists next year for short-term military service, an MND official revealed Wednesday.

The recruitment drive has been planned under the MND's "Reservists' Voluntary Short-Term Service Project," known as "weekend soldiers."

The ministry has decided to carry out the project on a trial basis next year, MND General Mobilization Office Director Tsai Chung-cheng (???) said during a hearing at the legislative Foreign and National Defense Committee.

A budget of NT$18 million (US$573,000) has been allocated for the implementation of the project in 2017, with a plan of recruiting 400 reservists at the rank of captain or lower, Tsai said.

The MND wishes to recruit those who have retired from the military within the past eight years but who still have high combat capacity, with skills and expertise, Tsai added. "Such personnel must be able to join the combat force at once," he noted.

Asked if the "weekend soldiers" will be paid or be entitled to official leave, Tsai explained that such soldiers will be enlisted for service on Saturdays and Sundays, with wages paid by the government.

Defense Minister Feng Shih-kuan (???) told lawmakers at the hearing that the reservists' short-term service project was established to verify if reservists' combat readiness is well-maintained.

Therefore, any re-enlisted reservists must be able to take on work at once. For example, pilots can serve as jet fighter simulator lecturers, Feng said.

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